The
meeting deliberated on the report of the Secretary General and Audited Accounts
report of confederation. The meeting made some observation on these reports.

Further,
the meeting also discussed the letter issued to Central Headquarters of AICAEA
by the West Bengal Branch regarding functions of Confederation.

After
detailed discussion, it was decided by the meeting that, in addition to the
report of Secretary General and Audited Accounts reports, representatives of
AICAEA and AICAEA Cat-II shall also raise other issues raised by the West
Bengal Branch. It was also decided that Com. A. Balasubramaniam shall speak on
behalf of AICAEA and Com. Amal Sule shall speak on behalf of AICAEA Cat-II.

Accordingly,
these two Comrades presented the views of affiliates of NFCAA in the 25th
All India Conference of Confederation. Their presentations were very effective
and appreciable. Finally 3 representatives from NFCAA has been accommodated in
the newly elected committee of confederation. They are Com. V.Bhattacharjee,
Finance Secretary, Com. Shantanu Bhattacharjee and Com. G.K. Nair, Organizing
Secretaries.

2. Implementation
of call of strike on 2nd September, 2016:-

The
meeting endorsed the call of strike given by the Central Trade Unions and all
independent federations including the confederation of Central Government
Employees and workers on 2nd September, 2016 and appealed upon all
the Civil Accounts Employees to participate and make the strike a grand success
in Civil Accounts Organization.

The meeting also reiterated the
following:-

i)No
apex level office bearer including the Women Committee members shall skip the
strike at any cost.

ii)As
per the strike tour programme circulated through the earlier circular dated
13.08.2016 all concerned should visit the units/stations allocated to them.

iii)Branches
shall send the strike intimation on 23rd August 2016 to all local
authorities as per circular dated 13.08.2016.

3. Attack
on members of PAOs, Central Excise Jaipur and Madurai:-

The
meeting took the stock of the situation and observed certain positive
developments. CGA has intervened effectively and asked Pr. CCA, CBEC to settle
the problems in both the offices. Pr. CCA, CBEC met the delegation of Delhi
based office bearers of AICAEA on 9th August 2016 and ordered for
payment of salary of Com. Velapathy Pandian of Madurai. Com. Velapathy Pandian
was not paid salary for more than two months.

After
detailed discussion, the meeting passed a resolution and forwarded it to all
concerned. The copy of the resolution is annexed to this circular.

It
has however, been decided that, if no effective measure to resolve the problems
in Jaipur and Madurai are taken by the authorities within reasonable period of
time, the Federation Headquarters shall review the situation and take decision
on next cause of action.

4. 7th
CPC related issues:- Pay Scales of Civil Accounts Cadres:-

CGA
vide an OM dated 10.08.2016 issued orders prescribing the revised Pay Scales
applicable to different cadres after implementation of 7th CPC
report. However, the Central Headquarters of AICAEA vide its letter dated 14th
August 2016 raised the demand of granting higher pay scales to the cadres like
AAO, Sr. Acctt, Private Secretary and Sr. Private Secretary etc. The copy of
the letter has already been circulated/posted in website.

The
meeting directed federation headquarters to continue persuasion of the demands
raised.

5. Status
of Cadre review:-

The
status of the demand of Cadre Review was also reviewed by the meeting. It was
reported in the meeting that the authorities have decided to finalize the
proposal of cadre review and recommended to the higher authorities.

In
view of this, meeting directed Secretary General to ascertain the latest
position of the demand and take necessary action as per the need of the
situation.

6. Organizational
review:-

The
meeting also reviewed the position of the organization. It has been observed
that, though the AICAEA, Gujrat Branch and Rajasthan Branch have held their
Conferences, but many units and Branches are yet to hold their conferences.
Membership Subscription from some members/Units of both AICAEA and AICAEA
Cat-II are long due. Such a situation has been causing impediment in functions
of the organization. Moreover, due to shortage of fund, Branches and Units are
suffering and they are unable to function up to the expectation of the members.

The meeting after examining all
aspects made following appeal to the members:-

1.Strengthen
the organization through democratic exercises – hold conferences of Branches
and units.

2.Ensure
deduction of membership subscription so that recognition and the seats in the
National Council JCM and Department Council JCM could be retained by the
Association.

3.Contribute
Rs:- 200/- (Rupees two hundred only) as special contribution from arrears of 7th
CPC for stabilization of the fund position of Branches, Central Headquarters
and Federation Headquarters. The amount would be equally shared by Branches and
Central Headquarters @ Rs:- 100/- (Rupees one hundred only) per member.
However, Branches may take their own decision for raising more fund if they
decide so.

The
meeting was declared over after the above discussions were over.

With
warm greetings,

(V.Bhattacharjee)

Secretary General

RESOLUTION

This meeting of the available Federal Executive
members of National Federation of Civil Accounts Associations represented by
the All India Civil Accounts Employees Association and the All India Civil
Accounts Employees Association Category-II held today i.e. 18th
August 2016 in Chennai deliberated on the up-to-date situations in PAO, Central Excise, Jaipur and PAO,
Central Excise, Madurai.

The meeting is very happy to note that
the Controller General of Accounts was kind enough to intervene into the state
of affairs of the Pay and Accounts offices of CBEC, Jaipur and Madurai. His
office on the whole has sought an effective intervention of Pr. CCA, CBEC for
settlement of situation arisen in both the offices. The meeting therefore,
conveys it’s sincere thanks to the Controller General of Accounts and all other
officers of his office.

The meeting is also happy to note
that, the Pr. CCA, CBEC had personally interacted with the Delhi based
representatives of the Association on 9th August 2016 and agreed to
respond positively. She had instantly instructed her administration to release
of salary of the official transferred from Madurai to out of station and not
paid salary by the PAO, CBEC, Madurai for two and a half months. The meeting
therefore, conveys it’s thanks to the Principal CCA, CBEC for the sympathetic
and humanitarian action taken by her.

The meeting however, observed that the
administration of the Pr. CCA, CBEC has not taken any tangible step to settle
the situation prevailing in PAO, Central Excise, Jaipur for last six months.
Though the fact of the incidents and grievances of the employees had been systematically
brought to the notice of the authorities by the Unit, Branch and Central
Headquarters of the Association respectively but administration of the Pr. CCA,
CBEC has been trying to process the so called inquiry against the grievances of
employees by ignoring the Association and official procedure. Not only this,
the administration is creating pressure on the individual employees in
different forms which are nothing but attempts of drifting the focus of the
issue to a different direction.

As
regards the situation prevailing in PAO, Central Excise, Madurai, the meeting
of the Federal Executives examined the reporting of the meeting held on 9th
August 2016 in Delhi between the Pr. CBEC and the Delhi based representatives
of the Association and also the subsequent discussion held in the informal
meeting on 17th of August 2017 between the Dy.CA, CBEC, South Zone,
Chennai and the delegation of
National Federation of Civil Accounts Associations composed of Shri S.
Bhattacharjee, President, Shri B. Sitaram, Vice President, Shri V.
Bhattacharjee, Secretary General, Shri A. Balasubramaniam, Asstt. Secretary
General, AICAEA, Shri G. K. Nair, Secretary General and Shri. M.S. Manivasan,
Finance Secretary, AICAEACAT II. It was clearly evident before the meeting of
the federal executive that the situation in Madurai was created due to the
direct nexus between AO of PAO, Central Excise, Madurai and the administration
of Principal CCA, CBEC. The PAO of Central Excise, Madurai being occupied with
vested interests has been pouring in false and fictitious reports about the
staff position to the administration of Pr. CCA, CBEC. Reportedly, he had gone
to the extent of manipulating the seniority of the employees of his office and
sending false work allocation reports to the office of the Pr.CCA, CBEC. On the
other hand, the administration of the Pr. CCA, CBEC also kept various
informations and reporting of the zonal head of the south zone away from the notice of higher authorities i.e. Pr. CCA, CBEC. It was
extremely surprising for the meeting of the federal executives to find that the
representation of the individual who had been transferred vindictively from Madurai
was forwarded by the Dy. CA. CBEC South Zone, Chennai, but it was not placed
for consideration of Pr. CCA, CBEC for nearly two months by her administration.
The fact of submission of representation by the affected official concerned and
its forwarding to the office of the Pr. CCA, CBEC by the Dy.CA, CBEC, South
Zone, Chennai came to surface on 9th August 2016 when the
representatives of the Association reported the matter to the Pr. CCA, CBEC.

This meeting therefore, deplores the
activities of the local administrations of PAOs of Central Excise, Jaipur and
Madurai and also the actions of the administration of the Pr. CCA, CBEC as they
are responsible for creating turmoil in the offices by handling the issues
without following the measures laid down by the government of India and by not
keeping the senior authorities i.e. Pr. CCA, CBEC and the CGA properly
informed.

Considering the gravity of the
situation emerged as an outcome of the above discussion, the meeting resolved
to urge upon the Principal Chief Controller of Accounts, CBEC and the
Controller General of Accounts to kindly intervene personally and settle the
stalemate in PAO, Central Excise, Jaipur and PAO, Central Excise, Madurai at
the earliest.

The meeting also resolves that the
Resolution adopted shall be forwarded to the Controller General of Accounts and
the Principal Chief Controller of Accounts, Central Board of Excise and Customs
and all others concerned.

Subject:- Implementation
of recommendations of the 7th CPC – grant of appropriate replacement
pay level to the employees and officers of Civil Accounts organization – regarding.

Sir,

I have been directed to refer the Office Memorandum No.A-60015/1/2014/MF.
CGA (A)/NGE/7th CPC/214 dated 10th August 2016 of your office
with regard to the pay scales prescribed by your office in respect of different
Cadres of Civil Accounts Organization and state that, as per Gazette Notification
G.S.R.721 (E) dated 26th July 2016, following pay level of the pay
matrix shall be the revised pay consequent on implementation of the recommendations
of the 7CPC in respect of the posts mentioned below-

Existing

Revised

Sl No.

Post

As per 6th
CPC

As per 7th
CPC

Pay Band

Grade pay

Pay
Level(Matrix)

1

Senior Accountant

PB-2(9300- 34800)

4200

Level 7

2

Stenographer

Gr.II&I( Merged)

PB-2(9300-
34800)

4200

Level 6

4

Private Secretary

PB-2(9300-
34800)

4600

Level 8 Level 9 after completion of 4 years

5

Sr.Private Secretary

PB-2(9300-
34800)

4800 &
after 4 years5400

Level 12

6.

Assistant
Accounts Officer

PB-2(9300-
34800)

4800

Level 8 Level
9

After
completion of 4 years

In support of
our above claim, we are annexing herewith separate detailed notes as ANNEXURE-
I and ANNEXURE-II for your perusal and necessary action. Necessary orders
granting revised pay scales in respect of above cadres may kindly be issued at
an early date.

Further, the revised
pay scales applicable to the cadres like Junior Hindi Translator, Hindi
Translator and Canteen employees have not been indicated in the above mentioned
O.M. issued by your office. Therefore, necessary orders indicating the revised
pay level of the Pay Matrix applicable to these categories of employees may
kindly be issued.

Thanking you,

Yours sincerely,

Enclo: as
above

(V.BHATTACHARJEE)

Secretary General

ANNEXURE -I

NOTE ON THE PAY SCALES APPLICABLE TO SENIOR ACCOUNTANT AND
STENOGRAPHER CADRES OF CIVIL ACCOUNTS ORGANIZATION IN
TERMS OF THE GOVT. OF INDIA NOTIFICATION DATED 26TH JULY 2016 ON
7CPC RECOMMENDATIONS

7th
CPC, had discussed the parity of Pay scales with Assistance of CSS and Senior
Accountants/Auditors elaborately in the Chapters on “Organized Accounts Staff”
in para 11.12. 136 and gave its recommended in para 11.12.137 wherein it has
also made recommendations in respect of different categories of Stenographers. Those
are as below-

11.12.136 In 1984, the government
bifurcated the Audit cadre of IA&AD into Auditors (20percent) and Senior
Auditors (80 percent) and granted the pay scale of Assistant of CSS to Senior
Auditors. The IV CPC, had, after above consideration, taken the view that there
should be broad parity in the pay scales of the staff in IA&AD and other
accounts organisations. The recommendation of IV CPC was accepted by the
government and implemented w.e.f.01.01.1986 for audit and from 1 April, 1987
for accounts in case of IA&AD and other Accounts Departments and Senior
Auditors has been given same pay scale of Assistant of CSS.

Analysis and Recommendations

11.12.137 The Commission, in Chapter
7.1, has already taken a view with regard to pay level of Assistants of CSS.
The recommendation there in will settle the parities as have been sought to be
established. “

The Commission
in the para 7.1.4 J) stated the following:-

7.1.4 j) Issue of parity of field functionaries
with the Assistants of the CSS: It has been demanded that CSS be allowed to
retain an ‘edge’ over other services or posts which have claimed parity with
CSS. It has been argued by the CSS that parity among various posts and services
is to be considered on long established principles of classification of posts,
duties and responsibilities, their hierarchical structure, historical parity,
mode of recruitment as well as minimum qualification for recruitment at entry
level as well as level. Historically, various services in the Secretariat have
had an edge over analogous posts in the field offices. The CSS has, in its
memorandum, demanded that this edge over other services be retained. This has
been justified on various grounds, key amongst which is that office staff in
the Secretariat perform complex duties and are involved in analysing issues
with policy implications whereas their counter parts in field offices perform
routine work relating to matters concerning personnel and general admini-stration,
and so on. Apart from retention of the edge, the CSS memorandum also seeks a
change in the mode of recruitment. It has been argued that up until 1987,
directly recruited Assistants of the CSS were selected through an examination
conducted by the UPSC and other categories of employees falling under Group `C’
were recruited through the Staff Selection Commission [SSC]. In 1987,
recruitment of Assistants to the CSS was also brought under the SSC and is now
carried out through a common examination called the Combined Graduate Level
Exam (CGLE) and an All India Merit List.

Analysis and Recommendations

The
VI CPC had gone into this issue in considerable detail. It had noted that while
at an earlier point in time it may well have been the case that those in the
Secretariat ended up performing more complex duties relating to policy
formulation, but over a period of time things had changed. It had noted that
there was an increasing emphasis on strengthening the delivery lines and with
growing decentralization, the importance of delivery points in the field cannot
be understated. Therefore, in its view, the time hadcome to grant
parity between similarly placed personnel employed in field officesand
in the Secretariat and that this parity would need to be absolute till the
gradeof Assistant. The VI CPC had noted that beyond this, it would
not be possible or even justified to grant complete parity because the
hierarchy and career progression would need to be different. Although the
recommendation of the VI CPC was accepted in the first instance, a year down
the line the Grade Pay of Assistants was increased from Rs.4200 to Rs.4600,
thereby squarely going back to the original position in which the Assistants in
the Headquarters resided at one level higher than those in the field. In fact this
latest modification follows a consistent pattern seen over the decades. This is
elucidated in the table below:

It
may be seen from the above table that the recommendations of successive Pay Commissions
with regard to pay of Assistants, even if initially implemented, has invariably
been modified at a later point and they have been placed at one higher level. As
a corollary to this, the level of Section Officers also is at one level higher
than that of SOs in the field.

While
notifying the most recent upgrade in August 2008, the order states that the Assistants
in Headquarters are required to be at a higher level since “there is an
element of direct recruitment in their case and that too, through an all-India
Competitive Examination.”

The
Commission notes that certain inherent contradictions prevail. The first
relates to the Common Grade Level Examination (CGLE) through which selections
are carried out by the SSC for a range of positions, at varying levels of grade
pay. No doubt the examination process is a graded one, with applicants for
certain positions having to undergo two written examinations as well as an
interview and for certain other positions only two written examinations. But in
the case of Assistants for CSS and Assistants for certain other organisations,
the examination process is common although the grade pay for the two sets are
different. This then brings about a situation where those with lower grade pay
continuously demand parity with the others while those with higher grade pay seek
to set themselves apart. The categorical observations of the VI CPC that the
time had come to grant parity between similarly placed personnel employed in
the field offices and in the Secretariat are echoed by this Commission, which
sees merit in placing all Assistants recruited through the CGLE, whether
working in the field offices or in headquarters, at the same level.

The Commission accordingly strongly recommends parity in pay
between the field staff and headquarter staff up to the rank of Assistants on
two grounds- firstly the field staff are recruited through the same examination
and they follow the same rigour as the Assistants of CSS and secondly there is
no difference in the nature of functions discharged by both. Therefore to bring
in parity as envisaged by the VI CPC, this Commission recommends bringing the
level of Assistants of CSS at par with those in the field offices who are
presently drawing GP 4200. Accordingly, in the new pay matrix the Assistants of
both Headquarters as well as field will come to lie in Level 6 in the pay
matrix corresponding to pre revised GP 4200 and pay fixed accordingly.
Similarly the corresponding posts in the Stenographers cadre will also follow
similar pay parity between field and headquarter staff. The pay of those
Assistants/Stenographer who have in the past, been given higher Grade pay would
be protected.

Therefore, 7th CPC vide para No 11.12.137[read
with para
No. 7.1.4 J)] has recommen-ded
for parity between the Assistants of Central Secretariat and the Senior
Accountants of
organized Accounts in order to remove
the disturbance arose due toupgradation of the Grade payof the former to Rs. 4600 in August
2008 retrospectively with effect from1.1.2006.

Similarly,
the corresponding posts in the Stenographers cadre also have been
recommended by the 7th CPC for granting parity with their
counterpart in Central Secretariat through the treatment of upgradation.

As per paras 10 and 11 of the Gazette
Notification G.S.R.721 (E) dated 26th July 2016, Government has accepted the
recommendations of the 7th Pay Commission on upgrading of posts except for those specified at Annexure III of the said notification and concurrently
rejected the recommendations of the Commission on downgrading of posts of Assistants to the Grade Pay of Rs. 4200(pre-revised).

Therefore, consequent on the implementation
of the 7th CPC recommendations, the revised the pay scales of following
categories of employees of Organized Accounts shall be as below:-

1.Senior
Accountant Pay level 7.

2.Stengrapher
Gr.II&I( Merged) Pay Level 6

3.Private
Secretary Pay Level
-8 Level 9After completion of 4 years

4.Sr.Private
Secretary Pay Level 12

Controller
General of Accounts is therefore, requested kindly to issue the OM in partial
modification of the OM. No.A-60015/1/2014/MF. CGA (A)/NGE/7th
CPC/214 dated 10th August 2016.

IN TERMS OF THE GOVT. OF
INDIA NOTIFICATION DATED 26TH
JULY 2016 ON 7CPC RECOMMENDATIONS

7th
CPC has discussed the parity of Pay
scales with Section officers of CSS and Assistant
Accounts Officers elaborately in the Chapters relating to Organized Accounts Staff
in para 11.12. 138 and gave its recommendations in paras 11.12.139
and 11.12.140. Those are as below-,

Assistant
Accounts Officers

11.12.138 They have contended that the
existing parity between Assistant Account Officer(AAO) of organised accounts
cadre and Section Officers of CSS was disturbed by granting Non Functional
upgradation to GP 5400 (PB-3) after four years of service to the latter. They have
stated that in the original scheme of things, Section Officer(A)/ Assistant
Accounts Officer of organised accounts were also included for non functional
upgradation to GP 5400(PB-3) after four years as evident from English release
dated 14 August, 2008 of Press Information Bureau. Para 10 (v) of this English
release reads “Government has continued the present position of granting Group
`A’ scale to Group `B’ officers after 4 years of service and these officers
would be placed in PB-3 instead of PB-2 recommended by the VI CPC. This would
benefit Group `B’ officers of the Railways, Accounts Services, CSS, CSSS and DANICS
and DANIPS.”

Analysis
and Recommendations

11.12.139 The Commission notes that
non-functional upgradation from GP 4800 to GP 540(PB-3), on completion of four
years of service, has been accorded to a number of posts by the government in
2008 viz., Delhi and Andaman and Nicobar Islands Civil Service, Delhi and Andaman
and Nicobar Islands Police Service, Officers of the Central Secretariat Service
and those of Central Secretariat Stenographers Service as well as other
similarly placed Headquarters Services. This has also been extended to Group
`B’ Officers of the Departments of Posts and Revenue. While extending this
benefit, officers in GP 4800, both in Headquarters and in the field formations
of these two organisations have been covered. In 2015, this benefit was also
extended to Section Officers in the Indian Coast Guard.

11.12.140 The Commission is therefore of
the view that there is no justification for excluding officers in the organised
accounting departments who are at GP 4800 from this dispensation. It therefore
recommends that all officers in organised accounts cadres (in the Indian Audit
and Accounts Department, Defence Accounts Department, Indian Civil Accounts
Organisation, Railways, Post and Telecommunications) who are in GP 4800 should
be upgraded, on completion of four years’ service to GP 5400 (PB-2),
viz., Pay level 9, in the pay matrix.

Therefore,
consequent on the implementation of the 7th CPC recommendations, the revised
pay scale of Assistant Accounts Officers of the
organized Accounts shall be Pay level 8 and Level 9 after completion of 4 years
(of the Matrix) and Controller General of Accounts may kindly take up the
matter with the DOPT and issue the OM in partial modification of the OM.
No.A-60015/1/2014/MF. CGA (A)/NGE/7th CPC/214 dated 10th
August 2016.